1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to printers and printing methods. More specifically, the present invention relates to printers and printing methods for performing desired printing on print surfaces of three-dimensional print media.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a printer for performing printing on a print surface of a print medium, a “flatbed type” printer is conventionally known. A flatbed type printer includes: a table on which a print medium is placed; and a print head. All operations of the flatbed type printer are controlled by a microcomputer, so that the print head is displaced in two directions perpendicular to each other within the same plane, thus performing printing on the print medium placed on the table. Such a flatbed type printer is normally used to perform printing on a three-dimensional print medium having a flat print surface.
When printing is performed on a three-dimensional print medium using such a flatbed type printer, the three-dimensional print medium is placed at a given position on the table, and then printing is performed on the print surface of the print medium based on print data.
In order to perform printing at a given position on the print surface of the print medium, the print medium must be precisely placed at a predetermined position on the table. Therefore, the position at which the print medium is to be placed has to be precisely decided by, for example, measuring dimensions of the print medium in advance. As a result, the number of operational steps for performing printing on the print surface of the print medium is undesirably increased, which increases a burden on a worker.
As a solution to such a problem, a technique disclosed in JP 2007-136764 A, for example, is proposed. Specifically, JP 2007-136764 A discloses a technique for using a jig capable of holding a plurality of three-dimensional print media. The jig is fixable to a table. When printing is performed on the print media, a plurality of the print media are held by the jig, and the jig that holds the print media is fixed to the table. Note that a position at which each print medium is held by the jig is decided in advance. This position is input in advance to a microcomputer that controls a printer. The technique disclosed in JP 2007-136764 A is intended to position each three-dimensional print medium by the jig so as to perform printing at a given position on a print surface of the print medium.
However, the technique disclosed in JP 2007-136764 A makes it necessary to fabricate the jig in accordance with shapes and sizes of the print media, which means that the fabrication of the jig requires much time and trouble. Moreover, when the print media are produced in low quantities, this technique brings about an increase in cost.